Yo-Yo spoke on how the youth could use their power to ignite a change in their communities. She feels youth should become more proactive in addressing situations that directly affect them.

“If ever you question when there is a time to stand, when you want to know when to fight, when to let your voice be heard, when to create a protest, when to walk out and say no more—situations like this,” said Yo-Yo.

“The senseless murder of this young boy based on his race— based on racial profiling—this is when you stand.

“Pay attention to what’s going on in the world, because it’s happening everywhere.

“It’s more than [materialism] and school— there is a world out there that we live in and things we have to come up against.

Our ancestors have been fighting for this forever. Pay attention.

“Like I tell my kids, here is the time to stand.”

Yo-Yo is also calling for the hip-hop community to become more proactive in the issues. She feels that artist today don’t truly understand their power and influence to create positive outcomes.

“It really doesn’t cost money nowadays to get the right PR [public relations] to send a message to America that we won’t stand for injustice of our people,” said Yo-Yo.

“This is a billion-dollar industry. We got more than a couple of moguls who are close to being billionaires themselves. When I say we are the majority. We are the popular music.

“We are changing the world. You have to take a stand.

“There is no more waiting on your mother and father—you are the frontier now. The responsibility is ours.

“Hip-Hop is not a baby anymore. It’s 30-years- old.

“I’d like to see Lil’ Wayne… I’d love to hear Drake… I’d love to see Dr. Dre… I’d love to see Ice Cube… we don’t have that hip-hop political party like we used to when I was coming up.

“If Public Enemy was hear… let me tell you, we wouldn’t even having this…I would be standing with them.

“Hip-Hop… we have a responsibility.”

Yo-Yo has a Hip-Hop school called Yo-Yo’s School of Hip-Hop. She works with the inner city youth in Los Angeles. She is using her experience and skills to not only build talent but educate and promote positive activity. Based in the Fernando Pullum Community Art Center, they’re also at the new youth center off of Florence and Vermont.

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